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On March 5, the CPD Network joined United We Dream, the Women’s March, and a number of other groups to organize a mass march and act of civil disobedience in Washington, DC. It was the self-imposed...

On March 5, the CPD Network joined United We Dream, the Women’s March, and a number of other groups to organize a mass march and act of civil disobedience in Washington, DC. It was the self-imposed deadline for a crisis that President Trump created six months ago when he ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and left hundreds of thousands of young immigrants living in uncertainty – wondering if they will lose their jobs, have to dropout of school, be torn away from their families or uprooted from their home. Trump gave Congress until March 5 to solve this crisis and then – along with Republican Congressional leaders – sabotaged any bipartisan effort to pass the Dream Act.

Rallying behind a banner that read: “They tried to bury us, but they didn’t realize we were seeds,” a thousand immigrant youth and allies marched to the Capitol to denounce Trump’s political games and to demand that Congress take action to protect young immigrants – without harming their families or other members of the immigrant community – and reject Trump’s demands to fund a racist border wall and his mass deportation agenda. Nearly 100 people were arrested during acts of civil disobedience in the streets in front of the Capitol and in visits to offices of Members of Congress. The action made headlines in ABC News, NBC News, Univision, NPR, Associated Press, CNN, and Arizona Republic, among other local outlets. For real-time action, watch the event livestreams on BuzzFeed and Time.

CPD affiliates traveled from all over the country to participate in the DC action, including NYCC, Make the Road Nevada, LUCHA, Action NC, Sunflower, and Delaware Alliance for Community Advancement. Immigrant youth and families were joined by faith leaders, healthcare activists, and other allies. Many other CPD affiliates organized powerful local actions around the country. See photos on CPD Action’s Facebook page.

The New York Federal Reserve is choosing the second most influential monetary policymaking position in the country -- arguably the most powerful position in the U.S. that President Trump will not...

The New York Federal Reserve is choosing the second most influential monetary policymaking position in the country -- arguably the most powerful position in the U.S. that President Trump will not appoint. The next NY Fed President could be our last line of defense against another devastating financial crash, or they could let another one happen. That’s why, on March 12, ten years after one of the worst economic recessions in American history, a coalition of working families, labor leaders, and community organizations, led by CPD’s Fed Up coalition, gathered on Wall Street to tell the NY Fed that they can’t afford another crash.

This action marked the launch of the campaign’s ambitious effort at membership development and popular education, and called on the NY Fed to resist turning to Wall Street in its search for its next president. Using a report titled 10 Years After: the Financial Crisis and the New York Federal Reserve, Fed Up showed the extent of those consequences, examining the lasting impact of the crash in the NY Fed district, finding that more people in the NY Fed district live in poverty today than before the financial crash, while the top one percent of earners have captured a greater share of income.

On March 12, with this context, CPD affiliates SPACES, NYCC, Action NC, Our Walmart, One PA, New Georgia Project, Taller Salud and MORE, joined New Economy Project and New Yorkers still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, including those who lost homes and jobs, to demand the NY Fed prioritize working people over Wall Street interests with its next appointment. In 2008, when the entire financial system was melting down, the NY Fed met behind closed doors to funnel billions to the big banks. Ten years later, the banks are more profitable than ever, but New Yorkers are still living with the consequences.

This week, news broke that San Francisco Fed President John Williams is the frontrunner to become the next NY Fed President -- another white, male, hawkish Wall Street insider. Just days after the announcement, the Fed Up campaign quickly organized resulting in Senator Cory Booker weighing in with an op-ed in Bloomberg, Senator Warren calling for federal hearings on the process, the New York Times calling the process into question, and the Wall Street Journal noting that there was a "degree of public criticism rarely seen in the relatively obscure world of regional central bank chiefs."

Following the public support, Fed Up released an unprecedented compilation of opposition to the NY Fed's process and appointment that included statements from Senator Kirstin Gillibrand, Mayor Bill DeBlasio, 17 members of the New York City Council, 35 local upstate officials, the City Comptroller Stringer, State Comptroller DiNapoli, and four public representatives from within the Federal Reserve system. Reuters described it as "extraordinary public opposition" and Bloomberg described "intense scrutiny from city hall to Capitol Hill."

The Federal Reserve has never seen anything like this -- and it isn't over yet. Take action today and tell the NY Fed to start the process over, listen to the public and appoint a zealous advocate for full employment and a tenacious regulator as president of the New York Fed!

The first weekend in March, Local Progress members from across the Empire State descended on Saratoga Springs, NY for the third annual Local Progress New York (LP NY) Convening. Despite a winter...

The first weekend in March, Local Progress members from across the Empire State descended on Saratoga Springs, NY for the third annual Local Progress New York (LP NY) Convening. Despite a winter storm that dumped 32 inches of snow in parts of the state, progressive leaders from cities big and small came together to learn, train, and work together to ensure New York becomes a more equitable and just place to live.

The event opened with Albany Common Council Member Dorcey Applyrs highlighting the dramatic growth of Local Progress New York which is now made up of over 150 members and is officially the first State Chapter of the national Local Progress network. Council Member Applyrs and the other eleven members of the Organizing Committee were integral to the planning of the convening and in leading the work of the chapter. Mayor Meg Kelly of Saratoga Springs gave a warm welcome and reminded everyone how localities can resist and lead in the fight for gun safety by announcing the cancellation of a long-standing gun show in her city.

This year’s inspiring keynote address was given by national leader and activist Linda Sarsour, who gave a sobering, historic breakdown of the policies that have attempted to suppress communities for generations. Her call to action to members was to be bold and brave in their local fights to resist the current actions coming from Washington. The following day, New York City Council Member Jumaane Williams spoke about how localities can effectively overcome decades of systemic racism and was followed by Local Progress founding board member Lea Webb and Council Member Brian Rowland from Prairie View, Texas, who presented a new tool to encourage community conversations about racial equity.

Some of the topics discussed in break out sessions were just policing, protecting immigrants, affordable housing and more. Members were trained in racial justice deliberation, fighting runaway inequality, communications, and social media strategy.

In the opening plenary, New York City Council Member Brad Lander was joined by fellow Local Progress board members, Philadelphia Council Member Helen Gym, St. Louis Alderwoman Megan Green and Local Progress Texas Coordinator Mercedes Fulbright to discuss the enormous impact and growth of the Local Progress network across the nation. When LP NY members were asked to share victories from the last year, many of the victories or initiatives that people shared focused on policing, immigrant protections, and criminal justice reform – including Mayor Steve Noble announcing that Kingston would follow Albany in introducing the Right to Know Act.

The convening’s second plenary launched LPNY’s two statewide campaigns to Let NY Vote, a statewide coalition of grassroots and legacy organizations working together to modernize NY’s voting laws, and pass paid sick days policies in Westchester and Albany counties. These policies will help thousands of workers across our state, and create momentum for more cities and counties across New York (and the country) to follow their lead.

On March 20, on the six month anniversary of Hurricane Maria which devastated Puerto Rico, hundreds of Puerto Rican families traveled across the country to demand a just recovery for the island. The...

On March 20, on the six month anniversary of Hurricane Maria which devastated Puerto Rico, hundreds of Puerto Rican families traveled across the country to demand a just recovery for the island. The slow and neglectful response by the federal government had added to the immense devastation Hurricane Maria left in its path.

#6MonthsAfterMaria, hundreds of thousands of people like Mariangely Ortiz are still struggling to survive without power, a roof over their heads, or potable water. Read about Mariangely Ortiz in the New York Times. Thousands of displaced Puerto Ricans, like Daiza Aponte, are still stranded in temporary housing across the country, having to start from scratch in a new land. Read about Daiza’s story in the New York Times.

The day of action began with a rally in front of FEMA’s offices, with families carrying blue tarps that read “HELP” under heavy rain and snow. The families also visited and held sit-ins with Members of Congress, including Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Sen. Pat Toomey. The day ended in the Senate rotunda, where more than 20 people were arrested in powerful acts of nonviolent civil disobedience.

The rally was organized by Power 4 Puerto Rico, a coalition made up of CPD, the Hispanic Federation, the American Federation of Teachers, SEIU 32BJ, Hedge Clippers, Vamos 4 PR, and the civil disobedience organized by CPD with affiliates NYCC, CASA in Action, Organize FL, and Make the Road NY, NJ, and CT. The event was covered by Univision, Telemundo, ThinkProgress, La Opinión, EFE, Getty Images, El Nuevo Dia and many more, including interviews with Co-Executive Director Ana Maria Archila in NBC News and UPI.

Stand strong with us on Thursday, March 15 in Los Angeles at The Underground Museum! Join us as we celebrate incredible activists Nina Tassler, Sarah Timberman and Ady Barkan, and leading, powerful...

Stand strong with us on Thursday, March 15 in Los Angeles at The Underground Museum! Join us as we celebrate incredible activists Nina Tassler, Sarah Timberman and Ady Barkan, and leading, powerful grassroots California CPD affiliates Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), The Center on Policy Initiatives (CPI), and Working Partnerships USA!

Featuring an exclusive musical performance by Jon Huertas (actor, producer, known for This is Us, Castle, and Generation Kill) and Kris Angelis (actress, producer, known for Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Visible Scars, and Sister Mary's Angel). This is an event you don't want to miss. Get your tickets today!

On February 14, CPD’s Fed Up campaign released a new report: Working People Still Need a Voice at the Fed: 2018 Diversity Analysis of the Federal Reserve Bank Directors. It analyzes the gender,...

On February 14, CPD’s Fed Up campaign released a new report: Working People Still Need a Voice at the Fed: 2018 Diversity Analysis of the Federal Reserve Bank Directors. It analyzes the gender, racial, and occupational diversity of the 2018 appointees to the twelve Federal Reserve Regional Bank Boards of Directors. The analysis finds that while the Federal Reserve has made modest progress in gender and racial diversity, Fed directors from business and banking continue to dominate leadership positions and fail to represent the interests of labor and consumers.

When people of color, women, labor representatives, consumer advocates, non-profit professionals, community activists, and academics are underrepresented within the Fed’s leadership, policymaking at the Federal Reserve ends up skewed towards the interests of bankers and businesspeople. To ensure that its policy is maximally inclusive and truly takes into consideration economic conditions for all regions and demographics, the Federal Reserve must hear from people of color and women, workers and not just employers, debtors and not just creditors. Read the full report on our website!

On the day after the deadline for the expiration of DACA, we invite you to join historians, activists, and experts including Dr. Mae Ngai, Professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia...

On the day after the deadline for the expiration of DACA, we invite you to join historians, activists, and experts including Dr. Mae Ngai, Professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia University; immigration rights activist and leader Ravi Ragbir; activist leader Ana Maria Archila of the Center for Popular Democracy; and Bitta Mostofi, Acting Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, to contextualize the current climate for immigrants in New York against the city’s historic identity as the nation’s melting pot. This event will be moderated by WNYC reporter Matt Katz. The program accompanies an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York called Activist New York.

Get your tickets today with the discount code CPD for the Museum Member rate of $10!

In Pennsylvania, the underfunding of schools has led to a lack of resources and the criminalization of young people. On February 22, OnePA premiered an incredible documentary film by Chris Ivey...

In Pennsylvania, the underfunding of schools has led to a lack of resources and the criminalization of young people. On February 22, OnePA premiered an incredible documentary film by Chris Ivey called “Parents Take a Stand for Education Justice,” a story of parents fighting back in Pittsburgh and beyond. The premier included an interactive live panel discussion with students and parents who fought to win a ban on suspensions from PreK to 2nd grade for non-violent conduct in Pittsburgh Public Schools. Thanks to the hard work of the parents and students featured in Ivey’s film, the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board become the first school district in Pennsylvania to prohibit suspensions for minor, non-violent conduct before third grade.

Check out the livestream of the film premiere and panel discussion on OnePA’s Facebook page!

On February 12, CPD launched a two-week Canvass Director Boot Camp in Los Angeles for our largest-ever training with trainees from ten CPD affiliates from across the country, including Good Jobs Now...

On February 12, CPD launched a two-week Canvass Director Boot Camp in Los Angeles for our largest-ever training with trainees from ten CPD affiliates from across the country, including Good Jobs Now in Detroit, UNE in Denver, Working Washington in Seattle, Organize Florida in Tampa and Orlando, OnePA in Philadelphia, ACCE in Los Angeles, Make the Road PA in Allentown, and VOCAL-NY.

At the boot camp, the canvass directors spent a week in the field learning the tools developed by our partners at Membership Drive, and learning from the canvass training manual developed by our own National Field Lead, Tiffany Cruz. During this first week, our trainees canvassed in Los Angeles on behalf of our CA affiliate, ACCE. Trainees signed up members and supporters for ACCE's work on education justice for students in the LA school district. Canvass directors trained on best practices for directing canvass teams in the field, from practicing the script to learning how to change course when events happen on the ground.

During the second week of the boot camp, canvass directors participated in an intensive in-office management training. Training topics included recruitment, how to give feedback and conduct assessments, how to run team meetings, and how to manage personnel. The CPD training team also conducted a series of one-on-one meetings with each canvass director to set individual goals for their respective canvass programs. The canvass directors will now head back to their communities to build their membership in the field and raise essential funds to help them move progressive policies forward at the local level.

Please help us welcome BLOC from Wisconsin to our growing, powerful network of affiliates! In a state voted the worst place in United States to raise a Black child and bearing the highest...

Please help us welcome BLOC from Wisconsin to our growing, powerful network of affiliates! In a state voted the worst place in United States to raise a Black child and bearing the highest incarceration rate for Black men in the entire country, BLOC is building grassroots power on the ground to try and create the conditions in which Black families can fully thrive.

Since its launch in December last year, BLOC’s team has already knocked on over 8,000 doors, engaging community members on the issues that matter most, and pushing themselves to dream big for a new Wisconsin. In the aftermath of Wisconsin’s rightward shift in 2016, BLOC is ensuring that Black Wisconsin votes are not merely chased for national electoral gains, but rather, that high turnout through transformational engagement, deep political accountability, and new, representative leadership is the true path forward. We’re thrilled to welcome BLOC, led by Executive Director, Angela Lang into the CPD network. Be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with their incredible work!

CPD Impact

Nov 2016: During 2016, the Federal Reserve made an historic shift in how it makes the most important economic decisions in the country. For the first time they are taking into account low-income communities of color. For the past 100 years the Fed has been dominated by white, male, corporate executives who have cared little about building an economy that works for everyone.